Becoming a Coaching Leader

Book Review.

Harkavy, Daniel. Becoming a Coaching Leader. The Proven Strategy for Building Your Own Team of Champions. Thomas Nelson. Pub. 2007
D.H.- founder of Building Champions, an executive coaching company.

Comment. Henry
The focus of this resource is holistic leadership, i.e. going beyond the team member’s personal (professional) skills to the team member’s personal life. The concept of ‘winning’ is very strong. Although the target audience of this book is market place leaders, the concepts presented are transferable into the church leadership arena. If you are a leader of leaders this resource would be a very useful tool.

“Effective leadership is all about taking followers on a journey that enables them to experience and accomplish more as a result of the coaching and vision you bring to them.” (5) What separates great leaders from good leaders is the great delight they take in developing their people

“Convictions and courage” (19) are the fuel that gives great leaders power. This fuel drives an effective coaching leader. Honesty and commitment to serving others are demonstrations of convictions. Coaching leaders will become involved in the lives those they lead in ways that go beyond the work experience and this takes courage. They will provide a life style model.

“A coach helps others win.” (35) This will call for involvement as a counselor, teacher, trainer, consultant, and mentor. The eight competencies of a coaching leader are: “discernment, conviction-driven, accountability, uses systems effectively, communication, self-discipline, and leadership”. (39-48)

The foundation of a coaching strategy must include these four components; “a life plan, business vision, business plan, and priority management”. (56) These are part of a coaching culture.

A life plan is basic to life strategy. “Life planning is by far the single most effective exercise that can help you avoid a life of regret.” (59) It will require a full day (eight hours) to develop a life plan. It will determine your weekly schedule. By sharing your plan with others accountability will be established. Once in place it will need some adjusting and fine tuning.

The second component of coaching strategy, a business vision, will help people know where they are going and how they will get there. There are rewards involved in having a business vision that create purpose. Visions should be recorded and revisited regularly and if necessary adjusted. They are living organisms.

The third component of a coaching strategy, building a business plan, deals with the ‘how’ and ‘when’ of your organization. Your organization revolves around this plan. It will come out of the business vision. It should be simple and clear giving a “flight plan’ for passengers and crew.

The final component is priority management. “If you don’t schedule your priorities everyone and everything else around you will.” (118) Pay close attention how you spend your day. Determine your “high pay-off activities and low pay-off activities”. (120) Do “time planning”. (124) “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” Kevin McCarthy.

“Champion coaches are lifelong students and learners.” (138) Coaches have personal plans for growth which include reading, seminars, workshops and a learning journal. Good coaching includes three kinds of individual reviews; “regular scheduled performance reviews, as-needed reviews, and 360-degree reviews”. (144)

Eight skills (abilities) necessary for a coaching leader are; “active listening and powerful questioning, learn how to take good notes, give clear appropriate and concise direction, help others to create concise action plans, tell the truth and value accountability, become a proficient storyteller, stay on track and on time, and communication- the big difference maker”. (162-173)

The final chapters deal with disciplines of leaders and systems as organizational tools.